Golf

It might be a bit of a stretch to say golf is back to its glory days, but for many in the business, things are picking up.

Mike Moraghan, the executive director of the Connecticut State Golf Association, spoke of that Wednesday at the Golf Industry Day at the state Capitol.

"Golf is thriving in Connecticut," said Moraghan. "Public golf courses are in better condition, and better maintained than ever before. The private clubs are rebounding from the recession. Many have refilled their memberships and have reinvented themselves to become more inclusive."

The National Golf Foundation reported a significant increase in rounds played through the fall of 2012, a 7.4 percent boost over 2011, and the biggest jump since 1999. The number of rounds played had been on the decline over the last 10 years.

The increase was reported in every state in the nation.

Weather is always a factor, and last summer the NGF found about a 12 percent increase in the number of favorable weather days.

Locally, courses were reporting good 2012 seasons, but also noted a slow start to 2013, with the cold weather slowing the momentum from a year ago, when March and April provided good golf conditions early.

"2012 was a big one," said Crestbrook Park pro Ken Gemmell. "We made money, did pretty well, much better than years before."

Gemmell knows the great weather last spring set the tone for the summer. This year, the courses will be playing catch up.

"This will be a late start," he said. "But we are up almost 25 percent in our memberships, and the leagues are doing well. It is encouraging. Finally now with some decent weather, things will start to pick up."

Crestbrook Park had 22,702 rounds played in 2011 and 24,397 last year.

Results are likewise encouraging in Waterbury at its East Mountain

See GOLF, Page 3B

and Western Hills courses.

"We are moving in the right direction," said Steve DiVito, superintendent overseeing both courses for the city. "We have had revenues going up every year for a while, and right now, year to date, we are just about where we were last season, and last season we were able to open March 6 because of the warm weather."

Waterbury tracks its figures on a fiscal year, July to June, basis. For the fiscal year that closed in July 2012, there were 25,800 round played at East Mountain and 19,000 at Western Hills.

"I think we will do as well as last year, and we will continue in that direction," said DiVito.

Season ticket sales are up a little in Waterbury, with 213 sold this year, above the 205 sold last year. A season ticket is good for play at both courses. Play in the leagues at the two courses has been consistent the last couple years, with 14 leagues at Western Hills and 19 at East Mountain.

DiVito also works on getting tournaments at the two courses, and that business has picked up with more charity tournaments relocating to the city courses in recent years.

"This year is pretty good tournament wise," said DiVito. "We have seen a good increase at East Mountain the last few years, and Western Hills is very attractive because they can have sit down dinners at The Hills."

At Hop Brook, the 9-hole municipal course in Naugatuck, things are also going in the right direction.

Last spring, the borough hired Bob Clark, a PGA Class A professional, to take over the golf course and pro shop and he made some progress.

"The revenues are up," said Clark. "Our number of rounds in the middle of the summer dropped a little, but we picked up again later in the year. I was happy with the first year, and I think the town is as well."

Hop Brook had a target revenue of $435,000 and beat that number by $18,000

"We have had a slow start this year, but with the weather getting better we hope to match last year. I don't think our players like the cold weather. They like it warm and sunny. Last March was warm, and everyone was out early. I'm starting to see some familiar faces from last year."

Hop Brook is also a more attractive club now, with improvements to the pro shop.

"Everyone needs to come in and see the change," said Clark. "It looks really good right now."

The days when the Waterbury courses would get 60,000 rounds a year is not likely to return any time soon, but the game is rebounding and the forecasts are encouraging for golf business.

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